Cw, Hbo Work On Film Deal

WILLIAMSBURG — Virginia has reportedly beat out John Adams' birthplace for filming.

Williamsburg may soon sub for Massachusetts, causing the nation's second president to roam the old stomping grounds of his nemesis Thomas Jefferson.

Virginia could be close to landing the production of a miniseries about John Adams done by Tom Hanks' company for HBO. The Virginia Film Office said a deal to film at Colonial Williamsburg isn't final quite yet.

"We're looking for it very soon," said Mary Nelson, spokeswoman for the film office.

The Boston Globe reported this week that Hanks' production company, Playtone Productions, told Massachusetts film officials that Virginia won the bid.

The actor visited a month ago to scout the location, and Playtone and HBO officials have made about a dozen trips to Colonial Williamsburg.

Last month reports said Hanks would star as Adams.

Even if his company decides to shoot scenes in the Historic Area, they won't be presented as Williamsburg because Adams was born in Massachusetts and never lived in Williamsburg.

A filming in Williamsburg would be an economic boon to an area that has been fighting low occupancy rates.

Coming on the heels of last year's filming of "The New World" in James City County, the production would showcase the area as a tourist destination and as a place for making historic movies.

The Globe quoted the head of the Massachusetts Film Bureau, Robin Dawson, saying Virginia was offering $500,000 cash and "giving the production the whole of Colonial Williamsburg for free."

Other states, including Massachusetts, couldn't match the incentives, she said.

CW officials denied that the details of the story were correct, including the characterization that the filmmakers would have a free run of the Historic Area.

There are no specific arrangements in place yet, said John Bacon, senior vice president of external affairs at CW.

"Our discussions with HBO and Playtone on the John Adams miniseries are proceeding well," said Bacon.

"They are putting together a very high-quality combination of creative and technical people, as well as people with great sensitivity to historic sites and this period of American history."

CW spokesman Tim Andrews said, "Colonial Williamsburg very rarely gets involved in large-scale projects, and we're very selective about those we agree to be a part of."

Because CW is an educational institution, it must be comfortable with the miniseries' content, he said. So far, the production company's intent on being true to history appears genuine, said Andrews.

"We feel that the overall project has substantial merit as a vehicle for better informing and engaging people in American history," he said.

He also emphasized that visitors to CW must be respected throughout the process.

Virginia offers exemptions on certain sales and use taxes that are geared toward luring filmmakers.

It isn't clear what authority the state would have to give cash, an incentive that is not listed on the Virginia Film Office Web page.

Filming for the miniseries, set to run in 2007, is scheduled to begin late this summer and last through the winter, said Andrews.

The Globe said the budget was between $80 million and $100 million. The mini-series is based on the biography written by David McCullough. *